When the events of the Arab Spring started, observers were keen to point out the lack of involvement from Islamist groups. Yes, they were the main opposition group in countries like Tunisia and Egypt for decades, but it seemed like there were as much taken by surprise as the respective regimes. Continue reading How do religious identities explain the success of Islamist parties in Tunisia and Egypt after the Arab Spring?
Terrorist attacks, even more so than conventional war, are aimed at identity politics. Which makes #JeSuisCharlie and #JeNeSuisPasCharlie extremely political. Continue reading Qui est Charlie?
This month saw the Taliban attack on a school, with almost 145 children dead. This is a new escalation in an ongoing war; while American drone attacks have been reduced, Pakistani military engagement in its border area has significantly increased. But why are the Taliban now attacking schools? Continue reading Why atrocities in Pakistan are likely to continue
Uber has been fairly big in the media: They are apparently giving cheap transportation to people who could not afford it otherwise, and they are killing cab drivers simultaneously. One thing I have been wondering though is: How can they be so cheap? Continue reading Does Uber pay off?
Not surprisingly, the EU courts have decided that national law may determine who gets welfare, rather than EU law, at least when it comes to foreign EU nationals. A sad, yet reasonable decision. Continue reading What kind of Europe do we want?